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Sanguinal'estiere
The Sanguinal'estiere, otherwise known as the Sanguineaux'estiere (in the Dekn dialect) or, more simply, the Sanguinêaux, is a Dekn crime syndicate comparable to the human Mafia. It is comprised of a "family" of members, who operate in both the Lathrym and Ersis. They deal in extortion, and collectively control the black market for Ethric crystals and U.M.E.E.C. technology. They were responsible for establishing Blood Flags as a legitimate sport, as a means of laundering Rethrycs. History Origins At the start of the Second Age of the Lathrym, the Dekn formed an alliance with U.M.E.E.C. With this partnership came the introduction of the Arkn, and shortly thereafter, Emperor Redgrave agreed to open trade with both the Arkn and humans. Alphos'eli Redgrave, the son of the first emperor, had been raised on his father's stories of the Old World Arkn; he was immediately distrustful of the Arkn, and outraged by the trade alliance. Being a proud Dekn, he decided to take action: while he lacked the political power to completely stop trade with the Arkn, he could make it as difficult, unpleasant, and costly for them as possible. Taveril'domaine, the Dekn capital, had become a popular destination for Arkn ambassadors and visitors. Together with his longtime friend, Rono've Chanteval, Alphos'eli enlisted the help of their most trusted colleagues (many of them the offspring of the Dekn Masters, or other high-ranking Dekn); using their various connections, the group coerced, manipulated, blackmailed, and otherwise forced many of the city's merchants and vendors to refuse service to Arkn customers. Initially, they also ordered hotels, restaurants, and other service-related businesses to deny service; however, once Alphos'eli realized that these were great sources of potential income, the group requested that they price gouge Arkn customers instead (sometimes while providing them with lower-quality goods). The group would provide their "clients" with the resources they needed to remain in business, along with "protection" from criminals and other hazards; in exchange, clients were expected to adhere to their demands, and turn over a copy of their monthly business report (along with a portion of their earnings and/or goods). To make sure clients remembered their "place", the group liked to randomly check up on them; Alphos'eli in particular liked to make surprise personal appearances, sometimes just standing on the property dressed in his finest clothes: a surprisingly effective tactic. Clients who resisted were met with vandalism, arson, and physical violence; when those tactics failed, the group would resort to mind control, and even literal puppetry. Those who refused to cave would be found dead, or simply disappear; clients who went to the authorities or any government officials met with a similar fate. The Black Markets The group used their revenue (what they didn't keep for themselves) to open a black market in the capital, providing the Arkn with the (illegal, overpriced) means of obtaining items they were otherwise barred from purchasing. In addition, the group opened various business fronts (including gambling dens, restaurants, and specialty shops) to launder their income. As the group's power and influence grew, they took on more members, expanding their empire across the Elevrium. Thus, the Sanguinal'estiere was unofficially born. Redgrave, when he learned of his son's new "trade", was extremely proud; he allowed Alphos'eli to borrow his Old World title, "Persophelum", as the name of the criminal syndicate. As more Dekn began venturing into Ersis (particularly in connection with U.M.E.E.C.), Alphos'eli expanded the Persophelum black market. The family opened more gambling parlors among the Seeds, along with other "adult entertainment" venues. These locations were perfect for conducting business, as they were far from the prying eyes of the authorities and the emperor. Eventually, the Sanguinal'estiere was able to gain a foothold in the Empyrium, taking control of important parts of the supply chain for Ethric crystals; this allowed Alphos'eli and Rono'vethem to open an Ethric black market in the Elevrium. Some of the crystals were left at their original size (to be used for technological purposes); others were given to a jeweler, to be whittled down to currency size. Wartime Profit Alphos'eli's hatred of the Arkn came to a head after the Arkn restricted their trade of Rethryc crystals. To add insult to injury, the Arkn requested that the Dekn loan them the Siy Decoder. The Dekn refused, and relations began to sour. One year to the date, the Arkn made their first attack on Dekn territory, marching on the city of Taveril'domaine in the dead of night. When the dust settled, the Decoder was missing and dozens of Dekn — including the Empress Ama'dina — were dead. Alphos'eli boiled over with fury. With their initial sources of income gone (as all Arkn trade and tourism were halted), the Persophelum street crews tightened their control over the Elevrium businesses, becoming more violent and far less patient. Never one to pass up an opportunity, Alphos'eli raised the prices on all illicit Arkn products — particularly Rethryc crystals, which were now more difficult than ever to obtain. Blood Flags As the war raged, tensions between the Arkn and the Dekn began erupting into street brawls on the Seeds. Over time, these battles became bigger and more organized, and Arkn and Dekn alike began betting on fights. Alphos'eli, seeing the potential to expand his empire, opened a handful of neutral gambling dens to cater to their needs; these establishments (while far from luxurious) gave Arkn, Dekn, half-breeds, and even some humans (mainly U.M.E.E.C. and SEEKER employees) a place to enjoy drinks, some illegal drugs (both Erasian and Lathrymite), and some company for the evening while they placed bets on their favorite fighters. The associates operating these venues used transmogrification Siy to disguise their locations, helping them avoid investigations and raids by the human police (and SEEKER agents). However, this wasn't enough for Alphos'eli. He approached the Ythen, and proposed that Blood Flags be made a professional sport; he argued that making Arkn-Dekn fights a regulated sport would give the races a way to work out their aggression, without involving humans or risking exposure themselves. The Ythen agreed, and the Blood Flags League was established. The Persophelums opened dozens of legal casinos throughout the Lathrym and the Seeds; these venues, which began as a means of laundering Ethric crystals, ended up becoming a lucrative business in their own right, and made the Persophelums a fortune. Alongside this, the Persophelums gained a great deal of control over Blood Sports itself, having fighters at all levels on their payroll and fixing fights (mainly through the use of various mind-control tactics). The Present Day There are currently hundreds of official members of the Sanguinêaux, and thousands of associates. The Dekn Neo-Emperor, Xerinos Redgrave, is the older brother of Alphos'eli Persophelum; he is well aware of the Sanguinêaux and their activities, and allows them to continue (even making special allowances for them on occasion), as he sees the results of their work (i.e. bringing more Ethrics to the realm) as benefiting the Dekn people. Organization The Sanguinal'estiere is organized much like the human Sicilian Mafia. The family is headed by the Elbaset (or boss). The family's second-in-command is known as the Underboss; he is responsible for overseeing all of the activities of the family. The Elbaset also has a Conservor: a close, personal friend who advises him in all matters. Together, these individuals form the "trifecta" that runs the family. Serving the Underboss are a number of Lieutenants: individuals who supervise the crews that patrol specific regions. Each crew consists of a varying number of "soldiers" (enforcers), who do the "dirty work" in the family. The crews also have various associates: individuals who work for or assist the family, but are not yet officially considered part of it. The Persophelums The oldest, largest, and most powerful of the families. They take their name from the Old World title of Jacques Redgrave. * Elbaset '''- Alphos'eli Persophelus. * '''Underboss - Rono've Chanteval. Longtime friend of Alphos'eli. Heir to the Chantelval mining dynasty. * Consevor - Eve'resell Chanteval. The patriarch of the Chantelval mining dynasty (and a longtime family friend). Taveril'domaine Crew Oversees all business activities (including monthly "payments" and the various business fronts) in the Dekn capital. * Lieutenant #1. ** Street Boss #1. ** Street Boss #2. Nearaive Crew Regional Crew * Lieutenant #1. '''In charge of overseeing all business activities in the settlements of Nearaive (Gatiem and Vesva). ** '''Street Boss #1. Oversees the town of Gatiem. *** Street crew of 10-12 soldiers. ** Street Boss #2. Oversees the village of Vesva. *** Street crew of 4-6 soldiers. ** Associates: *** Unnamed Jeweler. '''Polishes and shapes raw materials from the mines. '''Hold City Crew * Lieutenant #2. '''In charge of overseeing all business activities (including monthly "payments" and various business fronts) in Sessiz Sehir, the hold city of Nearaive. ** '''Street Boss #1. '''Patrols the independent business of the Government District. They must exercise caution not to "rough up" their clients too much, as security is heavily enforced in this sector of the city. *** Street crew of 12-14 soldiers. ** '''Street Boss #2. '''Oversees the Technology District. *** Street crew of 10-12 soldiers. ** '''Street Boss #3. Oversees the Showroom sector of the city. The most powerful of the SC street bosses. *** Street crew of 14-16 soldiers. ** Street Boss #4. '''Oversees the Residential District. *** Street crew of 12-14 soldiers. ** '''Associates: *** Ag'reas. Tech specialist. Translator. *** TBA Galliptis Crew ??? Empyrium Crew Arguably the most important division of the family. They are in charge of obtaining (and processing) Rethryc crystals from the mines of Empyrium. * Lieutenant #1. ''' The brother of Rono've. In charge of obtaining Rethrycs from the Empyrium mines in Mistria. ** '''Master Manipulator. The main soldier in charge of manipulating the employees of the Empyrium mine. He learned his techniques while studying under the Dekn Master Andras As'phyxiar. * Previous Lieutenant #1. Killed by Alphos'eli after he disappointed the Elbaset on the day of his brother's inauguration by failing to obtain crystals. Category:Universe X Category:Alliances Category:Alliances (Universe X) Category:Criminals